Disaster Supply Kit

Your family will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes. One way to prepare is by assembling a Disaster Supplies Kit. Once disaster hits, you won't have time to shop or search for supplies. But if you've gathered supplies in advance, your family can endure an evacuation or home confinement.

For more information about disaster preparedness for your family and community, click on the following link: http://www.fema.gov

This information was adapted from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Community and Family Preparedness Programs

Disasters can happen anytime and anywhere. When disaster strikes, you may not have much time to respond. A highway spill of hazardous material could mean instant evacuation. A bioterrorist event might mean you would have to shelter your family in your home for several days. An earthquake, flood, tornado or any other disaster could cut off basic services--gas, water, electricity and telephones--for days.

After a disaster, City of Emeryville officials and relief workers will be on the scene, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it may take days. Would your family be prepared to cope with the emergency until help arrives?

To prepare your kit, review the checklists in this document and gather the supplies that are listed. You may need them if your family is confined at home.

SUPPLIES

There are six basics, plus any special items, you should stock in your home:

Water
Food
First aid supplies
Clothing and bedding
Tools and hardware
Sanitation and hygiene supplies
Special items
Keep the items that you would most likely need during an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container. The suggested items are marked with an asterisk(*). Possible containers include a large, covered trash container; a camping backpack; or a duffle bag.
Building a Disaster Supply Kit

Water

Store water in plastic containers such as soft drink bottles. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments and intense physical activity can double that amount. Children, nursing mothers and ill people will need more.

Store one gallon of water per person per day (two quarts for drinking, two quarts for food preparation/sanitation)*

Keep at least a five-day supply of water for each person in your household.

Food

Store at least a five-day supply of non-perishable food. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water. If you must heat food, pack a can of sterno. Select food items that are compact and lightweight.

*Include a selection of the following foods in your Disaster Supplies Kit:

Make sure your kids carry an emergency contact card with them at all times. FEMA at Ready.gov has a Family Emergency Plan Card that you can print out or fill in on your computer. The card contains information about your child, the school, parent/guardian or caregiver, neighborhood meeting place and out of area contacts. Cut it out, fold it and put it in your child’s backpack!

EVACUATION

Evacuation Plan Checklist

“Evacuate immediately if told to do so, as delaying could risk your life”

Talk with your family about what you would do during, and immediately after a disaster, regardless of where you may be.

Practice Drop, Cover and Hold On (as you would during an earthquake, so everyone knows what to do).

Make sure everyone knows how to text, as voice messages or calls may not be operational after a large-scale disaster

Designate a meeting place where you will all reunite if you are not together during the disaster. Perhaps at a nearby church, school or Community Center.

Identify an out-of-area contact, since you may have a better chance of getting a phone call to connect to a telephone number 200 miles away than a local number. This contact person can pass information on to the rest of the family that you are okay. Make sure that your child has this number in their school backpack.

Know your children’s school plan and what you need to do to check them out if students are to be dismissed.

Make copies of important documents and photos. They can be scanned and stored on a portable hard drive or online storage service. This might include passports, birth certificates, marriage licenses, insurance and mortgage papers.

Prepare to evacuate on foot. Use your garbage cans on wheels to cart items if necessary.

Take your pets with you if you can

Post a note telling others when you left and where you are going

When You Evacuate

If you are driving, get off the road and out of the way when confronted by approaching fire trucks

If the roads out of your neighborhood become impassable due to abandoned vehicles or the approaching fire, evacuate on foot or bicycle using pre-determined routes to arrive at a pre-determined family meeting place. This could be a community center, school, or park, or wherever you family has decided to meet after an evacuation. Your decision at the time may be determined by the event and location of the threat.

Do not leave your car where it will block the road or hinder firefighters

If a Fire Breaks Out in Your Home

Call 911. Call out or account for all family members and pets

Test doors for heat using the back of your hand. If you feel any heat, do not open the door, and use an alternate exit.

If door is cool, open carefully, checking for smoke or flames.

Crawl with your head 12 – 24 inches above the ground to stay under the smoke.

Once you are out of a burning building, do not go back inside for any reason.

Meet your family in a designated meeting place.

Evacuation Backpack or Go Pack

Your Evacuation Backpack contains those things you want to take with you that will help keep you and your family safe during an evacuation, as well as help speed your recovery from a disaster. Most items in this kit will easily fit into a medium size duffle bag or backpack. You may find many of these items around your house, but in an emergency evacuation you may not have time to gather all of them. Add to the list as you see fit. Original documents such as birth, marriage and death records should be kept in a safe deposit box away from your home.

Assemble a Backpack or Go Bag for each member of your family.

A copy of your Grab and Go Checklist also known as the top 10 list of irreplaceable possessions that you will take if you have time to evacuate via a vehicle (note the item and where it is located in your house to save time.

A copy of the Evacuation Plan Checklist to guide you during your evacuation.

Basic personal hygiene items for all family members (washing, shaving, dental, eye-care, sanitary)

Safety goggles, cotton gloves and dust mask for each family member to protect against smoke and heat in case of evacuating during a large fire

One change of clothes for each family member (focus on socks and underwear first)

Pet leash and/or carrying box and small amount of pet food

List of important phone numbers, including your designated out-of-area contact

Emergency Contact Cards

Grab & Go Checklist

Things that you will need to take at the last minute.
Your Grab and Go List is a prioritized list of irreplaceable possessions that you will take if you have time to evacuate. Often called the Top 10 in 10, think about what 10 items you would take if you had 10 minutes to evacuate. Ideally, you should note the item and where it is located in your house to save time. You may also want to create a separate list for each family member.

Keep a copy of all lists in your Evacuation Backpack so you can easily locate them during an evacuation. Add to the list as you see fit.